A new front in the gun control fight
Federal laws have protected gun makers from liability from gun crimes and deaths. But officials in New Jersey are taking a novel approach to investigating the industry that hasn’t drawn much attention, Andrew writes in his latest column: They’re going after Smith & Wesson, one of the biggest manufacturers, over its advertising practices.
New Jersey has taken aim at Smith & Wesson’s marketing, in what it describes as a “garden-variety” investigation by the state’s consumer affairs division. At issue are ads like a TV commercial that shows a woman carrying a pistol in a handbag everywhere she goes, from the office to the gym. But nearly everything in that ad is illegal in most states if she didn’t have a concealed carry permit. New Jersey said it’s investigating potential advertising fraud.